With two weeks to go in the 2009 NFL season, can anyone believe the playoff picture in the AFC? Currently twelve teams are in the playoff hunt though half of them must not only win their two final games but teams ahead of them must slip up to gain a wild card berth. Currently, the Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos are in with records of 6-6, but what stands out as most unusual, six teams, Jacksonville, Miami, the New York Jets, Pittsburgh, Tennessee, and Houston all stand with a mark of seven wins and seven losses. Only four teams in the conference have losing records as the Indianapolis Colts stand atop the heap with a perfect record followed by San Diego at 11-3 with Cincinnati and New England the other division leaders at 9-5.
The NFC picture is much simpler. New Orleans (13-1), Minnesota (11-3), and Arizona (9-5) are in. Philadelphia stands at 10 and 4 with Dallas one game back and the New York Giants two games back. Green Bay (10-5) and Dallas (9-5) are the current teams slotted to be wild cards with Atlanta at 7-7 the only team with a faint hope of making the field.
Much will be decided this weekend, but the playoff field might not be decided until the final games at 4:00 pm on the last day of the season are completed.
Meanwhile, what the heck is going on in Minnesota? The feud between coach Brad Childress and quarterback Brett Favre is getting endless coverage four days after an on the field exchange of harsh words on the field Sunday. Coaches and quarterbacks blow up at each other frequently but when Brett Favre is involved everything gets tabloid proportioned attention in a wave of sports media hoopla.
The games:
San Diego at Tennessee (-3)
Go with Tennessee. San Diego has nothing left to prove. Tennessee does.
Baltimore at Pittsburgh (-2. ½)
Baltimore seeks to accomplish that which has eluded them far too many times bringing home a win in Pittsburgh. The Steelers have faint hopes of being in the post season while Baltimore is slotted. This game will come down to which team is healthier. Baltimore has the slight edge though we are admittedly biased. As Ray Rice goes, so go the Ravens.
Tampa Bay at New Orleans (-14)
Tampa mailed this season in back in October if not September. Forget about it!
Buffalo at Atlanta (-8.5)
Buffalo can rise up and hurt some decent teams but not this time.
Houston at Miami (-3)
Two 7-7 teams fight for a distant playoff hope. Miami will prevail at home.
Seattle at Green Bay (-14)
Seattle limps toward the end of a miserable season proving Coach Jim Mora not up to the job. Green Bay will stuff them into the frozen Tundra.
Carolina at the New York Giants (-7)
Carolina limps to the end of an embarrassing season as the Giants must prevail to punch their ticket to a possible wild card berth.
Oakland at Cleveland (-3 ½)
Two miserable teams which have some surprise victories to their credit, Cleveland should have the slight edge given the home field and west coast at east coast factors working in their favor.
Jacksonville at New England (-7 ½)
It’s do or die for Jacksonville who lost their lock on a wild card berth with last week’s loss. Meanwhile, New England seeks to secure their position as AFC East champ. They should take care of business at home in Foxboro.
Kansas City at Cincinnati (-14)
While Cincinnati has shown complacency once they appeared to have the AFC North locked up, Kansas City simply does not seem to have the power to pull the upset in this matchup.
Denver at Philadelphia (-7)
Denver needs this game to ensure their post season spot. Philadelphia needs this game to fend off the Cowboys to win their division. The Eagles have just enough of an edge to pull off this win.
St. Louis at Arizona (-14)
St. Louis couldn’t beat an egg much less a legitimate NFL team. Arizona wins big.
Detroit at San Francisco (12)
Detroit is still a miserable failure especially on the road.
New York Jets at Indianapolis (-5)
Rex Ryan’s Jets have a distant shot at a playoff berth. How much will that motivation count against a Colts’ squad seeking to achieve the perfect season? It would seem that almost by pure will alone Payton Manning will run an offense capable of stuffing the Jets.
Dallas (-7) at Washington
Washington can pull an upset especially at home in Largo, but Dallas should win this one unless they are truly hopeless in December, a reputation that last week’s win helped dispel.
Minnesota (-7) at Chicago
Chicago looked like one of the farcical failures in their loss to Baltimore last Sunday. Minnesota should come into Soldier’s Field and slaughter them. Given the high visibility of a nationally televised game, the Favre/Childress feud will get all the attention. Who needs the soap opera?
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